The national pundits pegged them as a team to beat. Or, rather as a team the rest of the division should beat. Save for a lonely voice or two, they projected Washington to finish under .500, in last place and, of course, out of the playoffs.
Sixteen games later, the Redskins provided a retort in 2005.
Wrong, wrong and wrong.
This season, there’s no consensus when it comes to the Redskins. And for many publications, there is little middle ground.
After a lackluster preseason, many in the national press are again picking Washington to stumble. However, not all is bad: Some publications have picked them to win the NFC East.
It wasn’t just the zero points scored by the first-team offense that scared the so-called experts; it was also the injuries. That’s why The Sporting News tabbed them to finish third, citing injuries and Mark Brunell’s age (35), a common concern among skeptics.
Pro Football Weekly picked them to finish third as well, based on a voting total of their 32 correspondents. However, of the magazine’s eight editors, three picked them to finish first -more than any other team in the division. But three picked them to finish last. One said the Redskins were his Super Bowl pick a month ago, until injuries struck.
“I like being underrated,” Redskins linebacker Marcus Washington said. “I like being that crocodile swimming up under the water; no one can see you and they don’t pay you any attention. When you’re the top dog, everyone’s gunning for you.”
Then there’s Sports Illustrated. This past offseason, their top NFL writer, Peter King, raved about their chances to go farther in the playoffs. But he’s changed his mind: King, swayed by the preseason, is predicting 8-8.
But there’s more. The magazine actually picked Washington to finish first in the division with a 9-7 mark. They also pick the other three teams in the division to finish with the same record and have the Giants beating the Redskins in the first round of the playoffs.
And ESPN the Magazine has the Redskins finishing second, though it’s clear to them that the ” ‘Skins are missing something … They’d better find it quickly if they want to avoid being the most expensive bust in league history.”
Meanwhile, ESPN’s first power poll put the Redskins 14th – which is six spots ahead of where CBS Sportsline.com put them.
Not that any of this matters to some.
“I couldn’t care less if they pick with us or against us,” wide receiver Antwaan Randle El said. “It’s about the team. I can’t worry what everyone else says.”
Injury Notes
» The Redskins released their injury report for the Week 1 meeting with Minnesota on Monday night and cornerback Shawn Springs (abdomen) is listed as doubtful. When Springs underwent surgery on Aug. 15, director of sports medicine Bubba Tyer said Springs would miss four to six weeks, which would sideline him until at least Week 2. Also, running back Clinton Portis (shoulder) is listed as questionable and defensive end Renaldo Wynn (ankle) is probable.
